1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mailing cards, specifically a mailing card for mailing confidential information securely.
2. Description of the Related Art
Post cards have been a simple and convenient way to send a quick message without the process of actually writing a complete letter and envelope. Post cards are a privately printed mailing card of any light color which does not prevent legible addresses and postmarks from being displaced on the mailing card. However, postal restrictions limit the size, shape, and thickness of privately produced post cards. In addition, opaque covers have been utilized to conceal private and personal information or messages from unwanted viewers. Furthermore, upon receiving the mailing card with an attached opaque cover the recipient can detach the adhesive member and reveal the private or personal information without damaging the message contained within.
Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples include but are not limited to the references described below, which references are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,705, issued to Hartfeil, discloses a post card for sending confidential information comprises a stiff rectangular card body measuring no less than 3.5 inches by 5 inches, no greater than 4.5 inches by 6 inches (in certain cases no greater than 6 inches by 10 inches), and has a face on which postage and at least a recipient's (addresses) address are to appear. A sender's return address may also appear on the face of the card body. A predetermined area of the face may be covered with an opaque address label, bearing either the addressee's or the sender's address, and having an exposed surface and a reverse surface securable (at least around its entire periphery) to the card body to conceal the indicia which conveys the confidential information at the label/card face interface. The label is secured to the card body in such manner than tampering with said label will be detachable by the recipient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,526, issued to Riley, discloses a reply card arrangement that comprises a reply card detachable from a plurality of folded pages. The reply card is composed of two sheet portions in superimposed relation and adhesively secured together along a side of each. A first sheet portion of the two ply reply card has discontinuous score lines thereon defining a detachable flap raisable from the first sheet portion to exposed to view a part of the inside surface of the second sheet of the two ply reply card. Confidential information may be entered on the exposed part which is then covered by the flap which may be secured to the second sheet portion with a wettable adhesive located along the margin of the flap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,199, issued to Tanaka, discloses a post card that includes a rectangular-shaped base member conforming in shape and size to requirements of the United Postal Service, and an opaque cover member of substantially smaller size than the base member attached to the base member. At least a portion of the information to be transmitted by use of the post card is carried in full view at one face of the base member. Another portion of the information is carried on one of the facing surfaces of the base and cover members for normally hiding such portion from view. At least a portion of the cover member, or a portion of the base member underlying the cover member, is removable by the recipient of the post card to expose to view such normally-hidden message portion. The portion of the message to be hidden may be imprinted before the cover member is attached to the base member. Alternatively, means may be included for transferring impressions entered on the cover member, or base member opposite the cover member, onto the underlying cover or base member to allow for the entering of the hidden portion of the message after the cover member is affixed to the base member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,892, issued to Nickerson III, discloses a bank check that includes a secret alphanumeric code designation known only to the correct payee which is covered with a light-impervious cover having a light-sensitive material micro-encapsulated in the surface adjacent to the surface of the bank check. The light-sensitive material is released in a predetermined pattern by pressure exerted against the combination of the cover and the check so that whenever the cover is removed, the light-sensitive material is exposed and the pattern becomes visible to thereby make premature removal detectible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,506, issued to Matsuguchi, discloses a postcard that comprises a postcard material, and a sticking material adhered on the postcard material for covering at least a part of the postcard material. The sticking material comprises a base material formed with a heat adherent resin layer on its main surface, whereon an adhesion retarding layer which reduces the adhesive force of the heat adherent resin layer to weaken adhesiveness to the postcard material is formed. A perforation is formed extending from one edge of the base material to the other edge thereof at a portion where the adhesion retarding layer is formed, and the base material can be cut by the perforation. Accordingly, the sticking material can be easily peeled off from the postcard material, enabling access to various information formed thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,333, issued to Ormond, discloses a post card comprised of a single basic indicia receiving sheet, an opaque cover sheet having a cut out section and a corner removed therefrom and a tacky adhesive around the periphery of the undersurface portion thereof, a removable intermediate sheet attached to and covering said tacky undersurface of said cover sheet, one edge portion of said cover sheet being removably adhered to said basic sheet by the tacky undersurface of the said cover sheet and in registry with some preselected portion of the upper surface of said basic sheet whereby when the removable intermediate sheet is removed and the remainder of said tacky undersurface of said cover sheet is brought into contact with said upper surface of said basic sheet said cover sheet is releasably adhered to the said preselected portion of said upper surface of said basic sheet and a preselected portion of the indicia on the basic sheet is visible through the cut out section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,126,211, issued to Etal, discloses a first sheet that bears indicia thereon indicative of the addressee and the confidential information. A thin opaque sheet of material is strippably secured to the card so as to cover the confidential information while exposing the information designating the intended recipient thereof. By strippably securing, it is meant that a secure bond is affected between the opaque sheet and the message sheet, but that the opaque material may be easily peeled from the card by the designated recipient of the confidential information without affecting the interpretability of the confidential information.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,363,472, issued to Ritter, discloses a mailing card having on one side the usual provision for postage and the addressee's name; to provide a mailing card, the side opposite to the addressee and postage, with means for securing a detachable decalcomania transfer at a part thereof, with directions for detaching and for applying to a surface when detached, the other part of the side of the card to be utilized for a message and identification to the sender; to be enabled to use various decalcomania transfer emblems, medallions, and for advertising detachably secured to mailing cards at minimum cost.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include limited in application, difficult to use, and expensive.
What is needed is a mailing card that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.